Deardot Cosmetics: Yuja Cleansing Seal

We keep hearing so much about K beauty and reviewed a few brands in the past, so today at The Amazing Blog we thought we’d take a look at more Korean skincare brands, starting with the awards winning Deardot Cosmetics and their Yuja Cleansing Seal.

Deardot has a strong threefold philosophy which is to keep its ingredients minimal, vegan and eco-friendly. Launching in March 2020, it’s founded by Woorikidsplus, a Korean beauty tech start-up whose aim is to educate the next generation with their Deardot philosophies. The Deardot’s fundamental goal is to provide natural skincare using only minimal ingredients. The brand also focuses very design-led packaging with the rather unusual concept of writing letters to your loved one (or in this case, your precious skin!) That said, Deardot is best known for their commitment to preserving the dangyuja fruit and its seeds (part of the citrus family and a genealogically a variety of pomelo fruit) which is only grown on Jeju Island, a province of South Korea. It is a plant mainly used for tea and was historically used to treat the common cold. What makes Deardot unique is that it exclusively uses an extract from the dangyuja in its products (see above photo). This fruit contains three times more vitamin C than lemon and helps to revitalise and brightening dull skin. All ingredients in their products are natural and are recognised and certified by EWG Green and FDA. They have 11-products in the range from cleansers, lotions and creams, to serums, toners and masks; which are suitable for all skin types.  

The Deardot Yuja Cleansing Seal contains 30 ‘seals’ moulded into small, flat, water-soluble pressed powder rectangles. The reusable cardboard packaging includes many surprises: letters and stickers, along with the paper sachets containing the cleansing seals themselves.  We discovered these recently when they won the gold in the 2020 Global Green Beauty Awards  for Best Ethical Beauty Product & Most Innovative Green Product. They are paraben-free, and has a very slight yuja citrus fruit fragrance. The cleansing seal is used in three easy steps: To activate the pressed powder ‘seal’ in your hand, add a little warm water (no running water) mixing until it forms a white paste. Next, rub the paste gently on the face to remove makeup or daily residue, and finally, rinse the face with clean water.  We used this Yuja Cleansing Seal as part of our night-time routine, which left our skin feeling cleansed and hydrated. The two key ingredients here are shea butter and yuja extract. Shea butter has anti-inflammatory and healing properties where it conditions, tones and soothes the skin. Yuja extract, has many health benefits such as boosting the body’s immune system, reducing inflammation and moisturising the skin. We think the Yuja Cleansing Seals are ideal for on the go or for slipping into your hand luggage, as they take up absolutely no space!  Although they say these seals are suitable for all skin types, we think these will appeal more to the teen generation with their added novelty stickers and design paraphernalia. You can purchase the Yuja Cleansing Seal here which come in either a pack of 14 for $10 or 30 for $18.

SKINEGO - The Prime

When you look good, you feel good! That's why we at The Amazing Blog, always put extra emphasis on having thoroughly cleansed skin. If like us, you live in a polluted city it becomes your number one priority. Today we’re featuring a new launch skincare device by SKINEGO, and when we spoke to the founders and learnt more about their Prime, we couldn’t wait to put it to the test. We've reviewed many different cleansing products, but this is a dual action facial cleansing device that goes above and beyond, not only does it cleanse but has a thermal eye massage mode too. Meet the Prime by SKINEGO, another one of our #amazingfinds.

The SKINEGO brand is co-founded by best friends Shazia and Fay, who have created a luxurious and carefully crafted high-tech skincare device. It brings a spa-like experience into the comfort of your own home, where the Prime can deliver similar results as some professional beauty treatments. Shazia and Fay grew up together, sharing their great passion for skincare. They were always trying out many different skincare products and as busy Mums were continually searching for new and effective beauty and self-care solutions. Once the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the resulting anxieties and uncertainties caused them both to feel that they didn’t have time for self-care; it felt more of a luxury rather than a necessity. This made them take a step back and re-evaluate their skincare routines. They soon realised what they were missing was a high-performance, portable, easy to use cleansing and self-care device; hence the Prime was born. Shazia commented: "We created SKINEGO to remind ourselves that no matter what path you cross in life or whatever stage you may be at, it's not selfish to love yourself, to take care of yourself. It's time to make happiness a priority." And we couldn’t agree more!

The Prime is a revolutionary device with a dual-action facial cleansing brush with a thermal eye massage. It uses a combination of sonic and thermal technology, is battery-operated and portable - making it ideal for those on-the-go. It is 100% waterproof with skin-friendly silicone bristles and anti-microbial properties that provide a gentle and deep cleanse. It breaks down an astonishing 99.5% of dirt and skin impurities. The eye massager head heats up to 42 degrees and targets fine lines, wrinkles, puffiness and dark circles around the eye contour area. 

Let’s start with the facial cleanser mode; moisten the face, wet the brush head and apply your regular cleanser.  Press once and feel it glide smoothly over the skin, move the Prime evenly around the face in circular motions. And don't worry about leaving it on, the device will automatically turn off after 2 minutes. When finished, rinse your face and the device. We want to mention how soft it feels on the skin (compared to other well-known cleansing devices), it’s gentle, in the way that it removes daily grim and even the most stubborn mascara, but without tugging on the delicate eye area. SKINEGO recommends using the Prime in the bath or shower, although not to submerge the device or use it for longer than 30 minutes. It’s a unisex and cross-generational device, and one that’s suitable for even the most sensitive of skin types. Impressive!

Now to activate the thermal eye massage mode. Press twice to get it to pulse and then give the device 10 seconds to warm up. Place the massaging ridges in a stationary position on the eye or move it slowly around the contour of your eye and r-e-l-a-x. This eye massage mode helps to soothe tired eyes and can be used either alone or with eye cream/gel. I like how the heated head speeds up the absorption of eye creams or gels compared to my regular manual eye contour tapping technique. Best of all, with daily use, I’ve noticed that a stubborn crease under my left eye now seems less visible and more plumped out!

The Prime is delivered in a stylish linen card presentation box, with a luxurious taupe travel pouch, 2 x AAA batteries and a 1-year warranty. It has indeed won us over with both its performance and versatility, and we’ll be continuing to use it on a regular basis. To purchase The Prime for £95.00 see here. 

Ting Tang - Dry Wash Shampoo

Do you wash your hair every day? I don't! When I mentioned this to the team at The Amazing Blog – there was a gasp of horror from a few. Did you know that by washing your hair every day it strips the scalp natural oils and microbiomes leaving the hair looking dull, lifeless and brittle? This is why I’ve been a fan of dry shampoo between washes. Not only does it give my fine hair more volume and body, but it also freshens it up and is a lifesaver when I've got a full-on day. So, when I learned about an entirely new type of 'anytime anywhere' foam-based Dry Wash Shampoo - Ting Tang, I knew I had to try it!

First let's meet the creator of Ting Tang, Purdey who was working in banking before she decided to quit and pursue her career as a trapeze artist. However, her secret dream had always been running a business of her own. Her daughter gave her the inspiration when she developed an aversion to water, which led her to create this clever Dry Wash Shampoo.  Despite having had the idea from a toddler, this is a gender-neutral product that and can be enjoyed by people of all ages, with or without toddlers of their own. Not forgetting to mention, that this start-up company even won a BBC One's award on the programme The Customer Is Always Right being selected as the customers’ favourite.

This Ting Tang Dry Wash Shampoo is unlike any traditional or dry shampoo, for that matter. It is a foam-based fragrance-free product that actually cleans! I find that most dry shampoos do offer volume but also mask the dirt and tend to leave a residue of heavy scent. With Ting Tang, I found it easy to apply with about 3 or 4 pumps of foam on my hair, massaging it through from the roots to ends, then towel-drying. Followed by a quick blast of the hairdryer and I styled my hair as usual – start to finish it took all of about 8 minutes. What I like about Ting Tang, is that it washes and cleans the hair with no fragrance or stickiness, as I'd first imagined. It's the ideal size for travelling at 100ml, and can easily be slipped into a carry-on for a long haul flight where it’s perfect for a quick refresh.  This will not only be loved by your hair, but also by the planet as it's fully recyclable, vegan, gluten and cruelty-free - they even offer a refill pack for the bottle!  NB: We reviewed the Ting Tang Tots, but they told us that ingredients are the same as the adult version. Give you dry shampoo the elbow and try this instead. You can purchase your Ting Tang Dry Wash Shampoo 100ml here for only £8.49.

Davisage: DVS Handie Bottles

Our way of living at the moment is constantly changing.  Be it the way we eat, dress or live day by day.  Now at The Amazing Blog we don’t leave the house without our mask and hand sanitiser. Alas, with the use of all these alcohol-based sanitisers, comes with the downside of dry hands. However, we have found a solution with Davisage’s two different types of DVS Handie Bottles. Both cleverly have a hand sanitiser and hand cream combined in separate sections in one bottle, making it dual-action. And, one of these just happens to be alcohol-free!  

We have already featured several products from the Davisage range here. Davisage is a company that combines technology and expert knowledge to create advanced products that help to address issues such as anti-ageing. These have been developed combining Japanese expert technologies and famous French formulations. So, when we learned about their timely launch of the DVS Handie Bottle, we couldn’t resist making this the latest #amazingfinds and must-have addition for our handbags!  

The DVS Handie Bottles combine both sanitiser and cream, where each 7.5ml is kept in separate compartments in this 15ml bottle – making it a dual-action. Let’s talk about the luxurious hand cream contained in both types of Handie Bottles. Its key ingredient is black orchid known for its amazingly deep hydration. It helps to prevent loss of elasticity and firmness, keeping the skin soft. The orchid oil has healing properties and soothes irritated skin. Orchids have often been called 'the perfect plant for the skin' simply because it contains calcium, magnesium and zinc which are all beneficial. Not only does orchid oil moisture the skin it also boosts the skin’s immunity, reduces fine lines and signs of ageing.  Whereas the Santiser here kills germs and effectively prevents the growth of fungus and yeast. This has a 60% alcohol content, which kills 99.99% of bacteria and bugs. The Handie Bottle that contains alcohol, kills all germs, bacteria, and viruses in a matter of 60 seconds. The alcohol-free one here will remove all germs, bacteria, and viruses as well, but it includes lavender known for its antibacterial properties and the aloe vera, which will hydrate your skin.

These elegant Handie Bottles, serve as 4 in 1 product making them unique in so many ways. Apart from the santiser and hand cream, these bottles have a handy compartment at the base of the bottle which can act as jewellery/ring holder. They also have a little circular facial mirror ideal for a quick touch up of makeup on the hoof. These both get the thumbs up from us as they’re multipurpose, small and light enough to even be taken on a plane. You too can purchase these here for £22.

Solid Cologne UK – All Black Collection Gift Set

Have you ever had that frustrating moment when you arrive at the airport, and forget that you’ve still got your favourite big bottle cologne in your hand luggage? Well, I have! This is where the Solid Cologne UK  has an interesting option, a highly concentrated, wax-based cologne that is portable. Yes, dear readers, we know that we’re still in lockdown but here at The Amazing Blog we like to plan ahead!   

Solid Cologne UK is a British brand that launched in 2016 and is a sister brand to The London Beard Company (where I previously wrote about their Eastern Spice Beard Oil here). The idea for the concept was inspired by travellers who had a common problem, like us, of transporting fragrance in hand luggage and then being over the liquid limit. They believed this needed a solution, and from there Solid Cologne UK was born. This solid perfume concept goes as far back as Egyptian times with the anointing of an ‘unguent’ a combination of animal fat, scented oils and resin. Since then, I’m happy to report the Solid Cologne UK has had a big update on this original formula! They’ve put their own unique twist on the idea, where their Solid Colognes are made with the highest quality of natural ingredients including beeswax, shea butter and jojoba oil. Quickly added, this is a far better for your skin compared to alcohol-based scents as they’re gentler, more moisturising and can be layered to get the right strength of your preferred ‘fragrance’.

Today, we’re talking about their All Black Collection (Pack of 3) which includes the fragrances of Sikandar, Malcolm & Valentin Cologne. Let’s start with Valentin which is light and fresh – perfect for trans-seasonal wear now, with its clean scents of basil, sage and mint, this made it not only my favourite, but also a big hit with the girls in the office too.  Malcolm has top notes of citrus with a tang of fruit from blackcurrant, bergamot and apple. However, the base notes pack a woody punch with incense, jasmine, sandalwood and musk. The final fragrance of this trio is Sikandar which again has a heady citrus top note but with more spice with middle notes including geranium, cinnamon and cloves. This one for me would be to wear in the evenings or at a cooler time of year.

With over thirteen different colognes to choose from, you can certainly adapt (or even mix and match) these fragrances to your mood thus channeling your inner masculinity, without them being too overpowering. The packaging comes in a sleek, pocket-sized sliding black 18ml tin, perfect no matter how small your luggage is. The products are not tested on animals and are even handmade in London. They are easy to apply, making them ideal for those times when you are on the go. I found that the fragrances were long-lasting, as well as rather timeless and elegant. There is something rather special about carrying around one of these tins, which allows you to dab a bit here and there in order to freshen up anywhere.  We heartily recommend these solid colognes they are not just reserved for us boys – the girls seem to love them too! All the colognes can be bought individually or in packs. The All Black Collection (Pack of 3) gift set can be purchased here for £50.00. The individual cologne can be purchased from £17.99 here.